Christopher Wilson

Christopher Wilson is Deputy Director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where he leads the Institute’s research and programming on regional economic integration and U.S.-Mexico border affairs. He is the author of Working Together: Economic Ties between the United States and Mexico (Wilson Center, 2011) and coauthor of the State of the Border Report (Wilson Center, 2013). Chris has testified before the United States Congress and is regularly consulted by national and international media outlets regarding U.S.-Mexico relations. He has written opinion columns for the Wall Street Journal, Politico, CNN, and Reuters, among others. Chris previously worked as a contractor doing Mexico analysis for the U.S. military and as a researcher at American University’s Center for North American Studies. In Mexico, he worked briefly with the international trade consultancy IQOM, Inteligencia Comercial, and with American students studying regional political and social issues. He completed his M.A. in International Affairs at American University, focusing on U.S. foreign policy and hemispheric relations.

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Halfway through the six-year term of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Mexico went to the polls on June 7 for its largest mid-term elections, renewing all 500 seats in the lower house of Congress and 17 state legislatures, as well as selecting new governors for nine states and mayors for hundreds of cities across the country. more

The Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute will host its second annual high-level conference on the topic of “building a competitive U.S.-Mexico border.” Issues from infrastructure and transportation to energy and innovation will be on the agenda, with participants expected to include Senator John Cornyn and Ambassador Alejandro Estivill. We spoke with Mexico Institute Senior Associate, Chris Wilson, and he provides a preview of the conference in this edition of Wilson Center NOW. more

The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute, Border Trade Alliance, and the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos invite you to our second annual high-level "Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border" conference this year, focusing on improving border management in order to strengthen the competitiveness of both the United States and Mexico. more

In early March, 2015, a small group of researchers from the Washington-based Wilson Center and from Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas traveled to the southwestern section of the Mexico-Guatemala border to observe developments in migration, various types of illicit trafficking, trade, and border management. In this report, each of the five researchers participating in the visit presents a short reflection based on several of these encounters. more

The U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue was launched in 2013 by President Barack Obama and President Enrique Peña Nieto. It is intended to provide a strategic vision for cooperation between the two countries that moves the discussion about the border beyond security issues by unleashing still untapped economic potential between the two neighbors. We spoke with Chris Wilson to check in on how the plan is progressing. That’s the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW.
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Christopher Wilson and Erik Lee discuss seven ideas to strengthen competitiveness at the U.S.-Mexico border. These ideas are drawn from a compilation of 27 ways to strengthen border competitiveness, outlined in the report "The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition." more

The Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute has released a new report, “The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition.” The report provides insight into day to day life and commerce along the border, and provides a series of recommendations to strengthen competitiveness. We spoke with Mexico Institute Senior Associate, Chris Wilson, to learn more about both the unique process behind the report and also about some of the best ideas emerging from the year-long project. That’s the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW. more

The Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute hosted the launch of the report "The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition." This report is drawn from a series of four U.S.-Mexico Regional Economic Competitiveness Forums in order to engage border region stakeholders in a process to collectively generate a shared vision and policy recommendations to strengthen economic competitiveness. more

The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute hosted its Second Annual Mexican Security Review, The State of Citizen Security in Mexico: 2014 in Review and the Year Ahead. The forum provided a careful examination of security challenges in Mexico, featuring presentations from leading policy analysts. Of particular interest were the available indicators of crime trends, analysis of the specific policy measures of the Peña Nieto administration, and the efforts of civil society to confront recent security problems in Mexico. more

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Halfway through the six-year term of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Mexico went to the polls on June 7 for its largest mid-term elections, renewing all 500 seats in the lower house of Congress and 17 state legislatures, as well as selecting new governors for nine states and mayors for hundreds of cities across the country.

The Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute will host its second annual high-level conference on the topic of “building a competitive U.S.-Mexico border.” Issues from infrastructure and transportation to energy and innovation will be on the agenda, with participants expected to include Senator John Cornyn and Ambassador Alejandro Estivill. We spoke with Mexico Institute Senior Associate, Chris Wilson, and he provides a preview of the conference in this edition of Wilson Center NOW.

The U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue was launched in 2013 by President Barack Obama and President Enrique Peña Nieto. It is intended to provide a strategic vision for cooperation between the two countries that moves the discussion about the border beyond security issues by unleashing still untapped economic potential between the two neighbors. We spoke with Chris Wilson to check in on how the plan is progressing. That’s the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW.

Christopher Wilson and Erik Lee discuss seven ideas to strengthen competitiveness at the U.S.-Mexico border. These ideas are drawn from a compilation of 27 ways to strengthen border competitiveness, outlined in the report "The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition."

The Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute has released a new report, “The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition.” The report provides insight into day to day life and commerce along the border, and provides a series of recommendations to strengthen competitiveness. We spoke with Mexico Institute Senior Associate, Chris Wilson, to learn more about both the unique process behind the report and also about some of the best ideas emerging from the year-long project. That’s the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW.

A debate has recently emerged regarding the issue of raising Mexico’s minimum wage. Proponents call attention to the fact that the minimum wage is much lower than other countries in Latin America. Others fear an increase in the minimum wage would spark inflation and warn that this debate is used as a distraction from the real issue of increasing productivity.

"It is important to note that adding more boots on the ground would do little or nothing to stem the flow of children across the border. The real solutions lie in addressing the push factors in the source countries," writes Christopher Wilson and Eric Olson.

After twenty years of success, why wouldn't we want the Bank to do more? Christoper Wilson reflects on the past and future of the NADBank and BECC and how an expanded role could increase exports, create jobs, and spur regional competition.

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The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute, Border Trade Alliance, and the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos invite you to our second annual high-level "Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border" conference this year, focusing on improving border management in order to strengthen the competitiveness of both the United States and Mexico.

The Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute hosted the launch of the report "The U.S.-Mexico Border Economy in Transition." This report is drawn from a series of four U.S.-Mexico Regional Economic Competitiveness Forums in order to engage border region stakeholders in a process to collectively generate a shared vision and policy recommendations to strengthen economic competitiveness.

The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute hosted its Second Annual Mexican Security Review, The State of Citizen Security in Mexico: 2014 in Review and the Year Ahead. The forum provided a careful examination of security challenges in Mexico, featuring presentations from leading policy analysts. Of particular interest were the available indicators of crime trends, analysis of the specific policy measures of the Peña Nieto administration, and the efforts of civil society to confront recent security problems in Mexico.

The Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute hosted Enrique Jacob Rocha, the first director of Mexico's new National Entrepreneurship Institute (INADEM), to discuss the state of innovation and entrepreneurship in Mexico as well as the activities being undertaken by the government to foment them. His presentation was followed by commentary from Alberto Saracho, Executive Director of Fundación Idea.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto will host President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the North American Leaders Summit on February 19. On the eve of the summit, the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute and Canada Institute will host a discussion of the key issues facing the region.

Francisco Guerrero, Electoral Councilor of the Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico (IFE), will present his book, The Vote of Mexicans Abroad: History, Reflections, and a Look toward the Future. Dr. Guerrero will also speak about current proposals for a political reform in Mexico and the evolving electoral system.

On July 23, 2013, speakers will present the main findings of the Global Development Horizons report, which explores patterns of investment, saving and capital flows as they are likely to evolve over the course of the next two decades. Experts from the Wilson Center will discuss how these economic patterns will affect various developing countries and regions.

As the United States and the European Union begin the negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, please join us for a conference to examine the challenges and opportunities of including Canada and Mexico in the agreement.

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On December 9, 2013, Christopher Wilson testified in front of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs,Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, addressing the issue of U.S.-Mexico trade and border management. His testimony focused on the development of a multifaceted approach to border management that promotes security, trade and competitiveness, and a high quality of life for those living in the border region.

Testifying at an ad-hoc hearing in front of Border Caucus members Rep. Grijalva, Rep. Vela, and Rep. O'Rourke, Mexico Institute Associate Christopher Wilson addressed the important issue of U.S.-Mexico trade in the context of the current immigration reform debate.

As the debate over immigration reform has brought the management of the U.S.-Mexico border back into the spotlight, this report provides a comprehensive look at the state of affairs in the management of the U.S.-Mexico border and the border region, focusing on four core areas: trade and competitiveness, security, sustainability, and quality of life. The report suggests that rather than consider each issue individually, the interdependent nature of topics like trade and security demand the border be approached from a more holistic perspective.

The depth of economic ties with Mexico, together with declines in illegal immigration and organized crime violence in Mexico, open up an opportunity for U.S. policymakers to deepen the economic relationship with Mexico and to engage Mexico more on major global issues.

More than a billion dollars of goods are traded across the US-Mexico border each day. With so much commerce, efficient and secure border management is essential to promote the competitiveness of the US and Mexico. This report identifies strategies to meet this challenge.

The report looks at the ways in which regional economic cooperation can enhance competitiveness, stimulate growth and create jobs. There is no doubt that the economies of the United States and Mexico are facing serious challenges. While some of the risk is due to external pressures, whether increasing competition from Asia or fears of crisis in Europe, much of the solution lies in strengthening regional competitiveness. The path forward, then, must be based in a clear understanding that the United States and Mexico are ultimately partners rather than competitors.

As organized crime‐related violence has increased in northern Mexico, so has the heated rhetoric regarding the U.S. side of the border. The title of National Geographic’s program, Border Wars, exemplifies the sentiment, echoed by several politicians, that the border region is lawless and dangerous. For residents of the U.S. border region, thankfully, the reality is anything but that.

An overview of Mexico's Politics, Economy, and Society and an assessment of key issues in U.S.-Mexico Relations with particular focus on economic integration, security cooperation, migration, and the U.S.-Mexico border.

David Rusk, a former mayor of Albuquerque, joins us for a look at his book, “Cities without Suburbs.” Blair Ruble joins the discussion. Christopher Wilson discusses the newly released “The State of the Border Report."